This invention relates generally to the field of telephony, and more particularly to an improved protector module for use in conjunction with an individual subscriber pair at its appearance on a protector block located at a telephone company office. Devices of this type are well known in the art, and are manufactured in extremely large quantities, both for use in origina installations and as replacements.
While most original installations over the years have incorporated carbon arc protector inserts, this type of protector has fallen into disfavor in recent years, as a result of observed disintegration of the carbon elements at the operative surfaces thereof causing an improper condition on one or both sides of the line as a result of improper gap spacing.
A more recent development is the gas filled tube which ionizes at predetermined voltage levels to conduct surging currents to ground potential. These tubes are normally employed in conjunction with heat sensitive elements which become operative on the occurrence of sustained excess current loads, as distinguished from momentary current surges. The cost of manufacture of the gas tubes has been reduced as a result of the economies of scale to the point where relatively few carbon type devices are now installed.
In order to further promote use of the gas tube type module, it is necessary to simplify the remaining components thereof so that the total cost of manufacture is directly comparable with that of a carbon arc type module. It is a principal object of the present invention to accomplish this end.